Bowls filled with river rock and tealights make festive centerpieces without
breaking the bank. Forgo the fake leis and opt for fresh, single flowers
instead. Hibiscus hard to find? Orchids too expensive? Carnations are a perfect
alternative. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised to have individual
blossoms attached to shirt lapels or pinned in hair — easy, exotic
elegance!

Attire

Request that your attendees arrive dressed for the occasion — Hawaiian
prints, please! Aloha shirts are an island standard, and pareos work as well.
Make sure you have grass skirts for everyone. To truly get the island vibe, have
everyone kick off their shoes and put on some rubber flip-flops.

For a unique spin on the luau, take your party back in time, and luau like it's
1969! Be creative and let your inner hippie go Hawaiian. Break out the flower
print bell-bottoms and platforms. Now you're groovin' island-style!

Activities

Dust off that ukulele and start doing the hula. A luau is the perfect time to
don some grass skirts and have guests learn Hawaii's traditional dance. If you
want to give them a lesson they won't forget, try hiring a local instructor. Or
you can learn low-budge from instructional videos.

Guests of all ages will love a Hula Hoop contest. See who can keep his or her
hoop going for the longest time or who can master circling the hoop around the
knees or feet.

Finish everything off with a few rounds of limbo. Wrap a pole (or broomstick) in
some floral garland to give it an island feel, and challenge guests to see how
low they can go.

Food

No poi? No problem. Don't worry if you're lacking other authentic luau supplies
and ingredients. Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures, and the food at a typical
gathering represents ethnicities from around the world.

Drinks

One of the luxuries of Hawaii-inspired anything is that you can serve
spur-of-the-moment made-up drinks, as long as they’re flavored with fruit
and rum. Apples and oranges, juicy mangoes and vibrant pineapples and oranges all
lend themselves to lovely party concoctions.